Method for producing low carbon/oxygen conductive layers

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for forming a substantially carbon- and oxygen-free conductive layer, wherein the layer can contain a metal and/or a metalloid material. According to the present invention, a substantially carbon- and oxygen-free conductive layer is formed in an oxidizing atmosphere in the presence of an organometallic catalyst using, for example, a chemical vapor deposition process. Such layers are particularly advantageous for use in memory devices, such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method for use in formation of a capacitor on a substrate comprising the steps of: 
       forming a surface of a substrate assembly;  
       forming a first electrode on at least a portion of the surface of the substrate assembly, the first electrode comprising a substantially carbon- and oxygen-free layer deposited in an oxidizing atmosphere in the presence of an organometallic catalyst, wherein the substantially carbon- and oxygen-free layer is formed from a conductive metal-containing precursor, wherein the conductive metal of the precursor is different than the metal portion of the organometallic catalyst;  
       forming a dielectric material over at least a portion of the first electrode; and  
       forming a second electrode on at least a portion of the dielectric material.  
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the organometallic catalyst comprises a metal portion selected from the group consisting essentially of platinum, paladium, rhodium, and iridium. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  wherein the conductive metal-containing precursor comprises a conductive material selected from the group consisting essentially of titanium, tantalum, ruthenium, osmium, iron, rhodium, cobalt, nickel, iridium, cerium, tungsten, aluminum, copper, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3  wherein the substantially carbon- and oxygen-free conductive layer further comprises a metal selected from the group consisting essentially of platinum, paladium, rhodium, and iridium. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  wherein the substantially carbon- and oxygen-free conductive layer comprises a metal from the organometallic catalyst in an amount no greater than about 20% by atomic percent. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of forming the substantially carbon- and oxygen-free conductive layer comprises forming a substantially carbon- and oxygen-free layer by chemical vapor deposition. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1  wherein the substantially carbon- and oxygen-free conductive layer comprises a substantially carbon- and oxygen-free conductive barrier layer.